Gordon Parks would grow up to
become a professional photographer, cataloging American life on film for the
Farm Security Administration, Office of War Information, Standard Oil, Ebony, Vogue, Fortune and Life.

For Gordon Parks, photography was
the tool he used to expose “the unfairness of segregation,” and the African
American struggle against racism. “He not only documented but also served as an
advocate for the Civil Rights Movement.”

Parks photographs often featured
everyday Americans in their daily lives, including cleaning woman Ella Watson –
a photo that became known as American Gothic. “In one iconic photo,” writes
Weatherford, “Parks conveyed both the African American struggle against racism
and the contradiction between segregation and freedom.”

“Standing before

the flag of freedom,

cleaning lady Ella Watson

holds the tools of her trade

and the hopes of her grandchildren.”

·Ella Watson lived in Washington, D.C. in the
1940s.

·What do you think she hoped for her
grandchildren? For students whose grandparents are living, have them find out
their hopes for their grandchildren. Write about it or share those hopes with
the class.Students can also imagine
what they might hope for their own children.

·Ask students to write about three things in
their own daily lives that they would photograph – and why they selected these
people, events or places.

·Perhaps a few single use cameras could be
purchased to enable students to photograph a story about their school that
could be published online, in the school newspaper or in a local community
newspaper. (This would be an opportunity for students to learn about obtaining the rights to print photographs of other people.)

Parks was not only a photographer.
He wrote a novel, directed a film and wrote poetry and music as well.

·If you wanted to change people’s minds about an
issue in society, what do you think would be the best medium and why?